Fin straightening comb



July 3, 1962 w. WAGNER 3,041,900

FIN STRAIGHTENING con/n3 Filed Jan. 19. 1960 M W l as 34d 34 35 I6 W'F/a 5. as;

FIG. 6. 34b 36b 36 37:1

FIG. 4. 22

ATTO BEY.

United States Patent Office 3,941,9fi Patented July 3, 1962 FINSTRAIGHTENING CQMB William Wagner, North Miami Beach, Fla. (W20 E. thSt, Hialeah, Fla.) Filed Jan. 19, 1950, Ser. No. 3,437 2 iliaims. (Cl.81---15) This invention relates to a fin straightening comb.

Reference is here made mainly to heat exchangers in which fins areprovided to increase the effective area of the heat transfer surfaces.in other devices which do not function primarily as heat exchangers,fins are sometimes used for heat exchange purposes. Illustrative of thevarious finned heat exchange devices to which this invention relates arespaced heating units such as finned steam and hot water radiators usedin the home and finned evaporators and condensers used in refrigerationand air conditioning systems.

In many cases the fins are made of thin, light, flexible sheet materialsuch as copper and aluminum. Fins made of such material are easily bentout of shape and distorted and it becomes difficult to straighten themto their original condition. As is well known, the efliciency of a heatexchangerof this general type suffers in direct proportion to the extentof distortion of the fins.

It is the principal object of this invenion to provide a quick andeffecive tool for straightening the fins of heat exchangers and otherfinned devices of like nature. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to a comb-like device, hereinafter designated as a comb, whichis provided with a plurality of spaced parallel fins of a thick nessadapted to enter the spaces between the heat exchanger fins, the spacesbetween the comb fins being sufficient to accommodate the heat exchangerfins. This is in the nature of a finned tool adapted to engage a finnedobject.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the resilienceand flexibility of the comb fins. These comb fins are uniformly spacedbut the distorted heat exchangers fins are not and it is thisflexibility of the comb fins which enables them to conform to theunequal spacing of the heat exchanger fins. The resilience of the combfins and their inherent structural strength and resistance to permanentdistortion enable them to sraighten the heat exchanger fins.

Although the invention is primarily intended for use in connection withthe heat exchanger fins of refrigeration and air conditioning systems,it may also be applied to various other kinds of heat exchanger finssuch as those employed in the radiators of the water cooling systoms ofmotor vehicles and also the steam and hot water radiators used in spaceheating applications, such as in heating a house or other building. Theheat exchanger fins of refrigeration and air conditioning systems arerelatively thin and flexible and a hit straightening comb relating tosuch heat exchanger fins should preferably Je made of resilient materialas above indicated. However, when the relatively heavy and inflexibleheat ex- :hanger fins of motor vehicle radiators and heating radiltOlSare encountered, it may be found desirable to utiize a fin straighteningcomb made of relatively inflexble material. For example, a metal combmade of brass r aluminum or any other suitable material would be nostappropriate for such applications;

Another important feature of the invention also re ides in the nature ofthe material of which the comb fins we made, namely, relatively softplastics such as nylon 1nd Teflon, the latter being a trademark of E. Idu Pont le Nemours & Co. to designate a tetrafluoroethylene aolymer. Thematerial must be strong for fin straightenng purposes but it should alsobe relatively soft and nonabrasive to avoid marring and scratching theheat exchanger fins. Both nylon and Teflon are very strong, toughmaterials which can be molded to the desired shape of the present deviceand they are relatively nonabrasive, Teflon especially providingvirtually a self-lubricating surface. Both materials are also stronglyresistant to abrasion and consequently provide long-lived finstraightening tools of the character herein described and claimed.

Still another important feature of the invention resides in the shape ofthe comb fins and it will be seen in the drawing that they are hook orwedge-shaped in face view to provide camming side edges. The function ofthe comb fins is not merely to comb or rake the heat exchanger fins butalso to provide a camming or hooking action to bend them into straightparallel relationship to each other. In the use of this device, the combfins are in effect hooked under the bent portions of the heat exchangerfins and a cumming action is applied to the latter sufficient to pry andbend them back into parallelism.

Still another important feature of the invention resides in theinterchangeability of the tool with respect to heat exchanger fins ofdifferent spacing and dimensions. For example, some heat exchanger finsare thicker than others and some are deeper than others and the spacingbetween adjacent fins frequently varies in different heat exchangeunits. In the present invention the comb fins are provided in aplurality of groups, each group consisting of equal dimensioned andspaced fins but the fins of any one group differing from the fins of anyother group either in dimensions or in spacing, or both.

Another feature of the invention resides in its use, itsprirnaryfunction as above-indicated being to straighten the fins of heatexchange uni-ts, but it also has another purpose and that is to cleanthe heat exchanger fins.

Lint and dust and other foreign matter tend to accumulate between thefins of heat exchange units and the present device may be used to cleansuch fins by the very same method used in straightening distorted fins.Indeed, the tool may perform both functions simultaneously, as where thefins of a heat exchanger are both bent and clogged with foreign matter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFIGURE 1 is a general perspective view showing the use of a finstraightening comb made in accordance with one form of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a face view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a side edge view;

FIGURE 4 is a side edge view of a modified fin straightening comb madein accordance with a modified form of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view showing one of the fins in the modifiedcomb construction of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE -6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 showing. thetwo sections of the fin of FIG- URE 5, one such section being relativelythick and the other being relatively thin.

Referring now to the details of the invention as illustrated in thedrawing and particularly to the first form of the invention as shown inFIGURES 1, 2, and 3, it will be observed that the tin-straightening comb10 therein illustrated comprises a body portion 12, a plurality of teethor fins 14 at one end and a plurality of teeth or fins 16 at theopposite end. The body portion 12 may simply be a bar of elongated,rectangular shape in plan view, although this is purely a matter ofpreference and design. All that is required is that it serve adequatelyas a handle and as a support for fins 14 and 16.

Fins 14 are trapezoidal in shape in face view, having two parallel sideedges 14a and 14b, respectively, and

two non-parallel side edges 14c and 14d, respectively. Side edge 14arepresents one end of the device as a whole and it occupies a plane towhich the longitudinal axis of the device is perpendicular. Side edge14]) represents the line of juncture between each fin 14 and the mainbody or handle 12 of the device. Side edge 14b also occupies a plane towhich the longitudinal axis of said device is perpendicular. Moreprecisely, the several side edges 14a of the several fins 14 occupy acommon plane and the several side edges 14b of said fins 14 also occupya common plane, these two planes being parallel to each other and thelongitudinal axis of the device intersecting both said planes at rightangles. Each fin 16 is likewise of trapezoidal shape, having twoparallel side edges 16a and 16b, respectively, and two non-parallel sideedges 16c and 16d. Side edges 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d of each fin 16correspond to side edges 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d, respectively, of eachfin 14, and what has been said of fins 14 applies equally as well tofins 16.

There are, however, two differences between fins 14, on the one hand,and fins 16, on the other. These differences reside in the relativethickness of said fins and in their relative spacing. As is clearlyshown in FIGURE 2, fins 14 are relatively thick and they are spacedrelatively far apart. Fins 16 are relatively thin and they are spacedrelatively closely together. The reason for providing thicker or thinnerfins and spacing them more widely or less widely apart is to adapt saidfins to the relative thickness and relative spacing of, the heatexchanger fins which they are to engage and straighten or clean. Someheat exchanger fins are relatively thick and relatively widely spaced;others are relatively thirr and relatively closely spaced. Fins 14would, therefore, be adapted to engage and straighten thefirst-mentioned heat exchanger fins while fins 16 would be adapted toengage and straighten the second-mentioned heat exchanger fins. Themanner of use of the present device is graphically illustrated in FIGURE1' wherein the body or handle 12 of the device her ein claimed held inthe hand and heat exchanger. fins 26 are corned or stroked by means offins 16 of said device. The device is drawn along the heat exchangerfins 20, longitudinally of them and parallel to the planeswhich saidfins20 are de-' signed to occupy, The individualcomh fins 16 are insertedinto the spaces separating the individual heat exchanger fi'ns' 20 andby the same token saidheat ex;- chan'ge'r fins enter the spaces betweensaid comb fins 16. The device is drawn longitudinally of the heatexchanger fins in the manner shown and the side faces of the comb fins16 engage the side faces of the heat exchanger combs 20 and straightenthe latter into parallel relation to each other, spaced to correspond,substantially, to the spacing of the comb fins 16.

It has been stated that the present device is made preferably of nylonor Teflon. These materials are suited for molding intricate preciseshapes and it is therefore possible to mold the present device in itsentirety, that is, the body or handle portion 12 together with both setsof fins 14 and 16 integral therewith. Since this material nylon orTeflon possesses a measure of flexibility and resilience, fins 16 (andthis would equally be true of fins 14) are enabled to adapt themselvesor to adjust to the relative spacing of heat exchanger fins 20. It isnot essential that the heat exchanger fins and the comb fins be ofidentical thickness and spaced identically apart. It is sufiicient ifthe comb fins approximate the heat exchanger fins in both thickness andspacing. Where the heat exchanger fins are too thick and too Widelyspaced for comb fins 16, fins 14 should be used. They are thickor andmore widely spaced than fins 16. An important feature of the invention,as above indicated, resides in the hook shape of comb fins 14 and 16.Reference is here made to side edges 14d and 16d of said fins, said sideedges being disposed at an acute angle relative to side edges 14a and16a, respectively, and at an obtuse angle relative to the longitudinalaxis of the device. Side edges 14d and 16d are thereby enabled to serveas hooks or wedges to cam or pry up the distorted portions 20a of heatexchanger fins 20. The points or pointed corners 14a and 16a, defined byside edges 14a and 14d and said edges 16a and 16d, serve as enteringwedges for the comb fins 14 and 16, enabling them to gain access to theheat exchanger fins 20 below their distorted portions 20a. In the usualcase, these distorted portions are encountered along the outer edges ofthe heat exchanger fins 20 and it is, therefore, necessary for the combfins to hook under said distorted portions in order to straighten themout as the device is drawn along the heat exchanger fins in the mannershown in FIGURE =1.

By way of illustration, a fin-straightening comb made in accordance withthe first form of this invention, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 andhaving the following dimensions, has been found to be most suitable forstraightening the heat exchanger fins of refrigeration and airconditioning condensersz' I The main body or handle 12 approximately 4-inches long, of an inch wide and A of an inch thick. Fins 14 areapproximatelyof an inch wide along side edge 14a, approximately of aninch wide along side edge 14b of an inch high alongside edge 14c andapproximately of an inch long along side edge 1403' The angle separatingside edges 14a and 144 is approxi-' mately 55 degrees. 'Ihusifar', thefins114 and 16 are sub stantially identical. In thickness and spacing,-however; they differ.- There are nine fins 14' in said embodiment of theinvention, said fins being uniform in thickness and uniformly spaced andoccupying a space approximately of an inch wide. The spaces between themare ap proximately as wide as the fins are thick. On the other hand,there are eleven fin's16 occupying a space approxi-' mately ofan inchwide. These fins are of uniform thickness and uniformly spaced, thespaces which sep'arate them being approximately as wide as the fins arethick.

: Turning now is the second form of the seventies as illustrated inFIGURES 4', 5 and 6, it will be observed that a flit-straightening comb30 is provided, said comb: having a bodypr halndle portion 32, fins 34at one end of said body or" handle portion and fins 36' at the oppositeend thereof; These fins 3'4 and 36 are also trapezoidal in face view'but, unlike fins 14 and 16 above described, they are each provided withtwo diagonal side edges 34a and 34b, and 36a and 36b, corresponding todiagonal side edges 14d and 16d of said fins 14 and 16. Side edges 34aand 34b are disposed at an angle of approximately 55 degrees withrespect to side edge 34c and side edges 36a and 36b are also disposed atan angle of approximately 55 degrees with respect to side edge 360.Theseangular relationships are, of course, purely illustrativeand itwill be understood that what is desired is an acute angle, the angle ofapproximately 55 degrees having been found suitable but other acuteangles being also suitable for present purposes.

Each fin 34 is formed to function as two fins, one on each side ofhandle 32. This is clearly shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6 where it will beapparent that each side fin 34 is divided into two triangular fins 35and 35a, respectively. Triangular fin 35 is bounded by side edges 34a,34d and 34e. Triangular fin 35a is defined by side edges 34b, 34 and34g. Side edges 34d and 34g combine to form side edge 34cabove-mentioned.

It will now be seen in FIGURE 6 that triangular fin 35 is relativelythick when compared with triangular fin 35a. These two triangular finsmay also be thinner than the triangular or wedge-shaped portion 3512which separates them. What has been said of fins 34 may equally be trueof fins 36. Each fin 36 consists of two triangular fins 37 and 37a,respectively, and these two triangular fins may be of differentthicknesses, not only different from each other but also different fromtriangular fins 35 and 35a. Consequently, a single fin-straighteningcomb 39 may be provided with four sets of triangular fins 35, 35a, 37and 37a, each set of fins differing in thickness from the others. Theymay also differ in spacing. By way of illustration, the fins in any onegroup may be spaced apart a distance corresponding to their thickness.This, of course, is not necessarily the case but it describes onepreferred form of the invention. A general rule which would also applyto the present invention is to provide comb fins of a thicknesscorresponding substantially (with adequate clearance) to the spacesbetween the fins of a heat exchanger and the spacing between the combfins should correspond substantially (with adequate clearance) to thethickness of the heat exchanger fins. As an example, there may be eighttriangular fins 35 per inch, ten triangular fins 35a per inch, twelvetriangular fins 37a per inch and fourteen triangular fins 37:: per inch.

The use of the fin-straightening comb illustrated in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6corresponds to the use of finstraightening comb It} shown in FIGURES 1,2 and 3. Heat transfer fins 20 are stroked by means of one of the foursets of triangular fins 35, 35a, 37, 37a, whichever set is appropriatewith respect to those particular heat exchanger fins 20 in thickness andspacing. The single fin-straightening comb 30 may therefore be used tostraighten heat exchanger fins of at least four different thicknessesand spacings. As a practical matter, however, the four sets of comb finsare adapted to be used in connection with a great variety of heatexchanger fins differing both in thickness and in spacing.

The foregoing is illustrative of preferred forms of this invention andit will be understood that these forms may be modified and other formsmay be provided within the broad spirit of the invention and the broadscope of the claims.

By way of illustration, although the drawing discloses a finstraightening device having a plurality of comb fins at both ends of thehandle, it will be understood that this is not essential to theinvention, and the principles of the invention will be fully met byproviding a fin straightening comb having fins at only one end. A combof this nature would resemble the fin straightening comb shown in FIG. 2or the one shown in FIG. 4, with the exception that there would be nofins at one end of the handle. What is important is that the fins whichare provided on the handle be generally hook-shaped or cam edged, so asto perform the heat exchanger fin straightening operation abovedescribed.

Another modification of the device above described is shown in FIGURES1, 2 and 3 of the drawing. In the above description it is assumed thatthe fin straightening comb is held in the hand without any external orother gripping means to help hold the device properly and convenientlyand to assist in its use. It will now be noted that a loopedfinger-engageable member 24 may be secured to the body portion 12 of thedevice by means of a screw 22 in tapped hole 18a. It will be apparentfrom the showing of FIGURE 1 that the forefinger may be inserted intosaid looped member to assist in holding and pulling the device while itsfin-straightening elements 14' are in engagement with the fins of aheatexchanger. This looped member not only helps in drawing thefin-straightening comb through the heat exchanger fins in the mannerindicated, but it also helps prevent finger injury by reason ofaccidental contact between the fingers of the heat exchanger fins. Whilesaid looped finger retaining member is not essential to the operation ofthe present invention, it is exceedingly helpful therein.

I claim:

1. A heat exchanger fin-straightening comb of the character described,said fin-straightening comb being adapted to be pulled along a pluralityof fins in order to straighten them, said fin-str aightening combcomprising a pull handle and a plurality of axially and laterallyprojecting fins provided at one end of said handle, said fins beingsubstantially uniform in thickness and occupying uniformly spacedparallel planes, said fins having trapezoid shaped side faces with awide base at the forward end of each fin and a slanted side edgeextending out of the plane of the hnadle and meeting the base at anacute angle so as to provide a laterally extending pointed wedge forentering between the heat exchanger fins with the side surfaces thereofin engagement with the distorted heat exchanger fins to straighten themby a longitudinal combing stroke.

2. A heat exchanger fin-straightening comb of the character described,said fin-straightening comb being adapted to be pulled along a pluralityof fins in order to straighten them, said tin-straightening combcomprising a pull handle and a plurality of axially and laterallyprojecting fins on at least one end of said handle, said fins beingsubstantially uniform in thickness and occupying substantially uniformlyspaced parallel planes, a finger-retaining loop being provided on saidhandle to assist in holding said fin-straightening comb and drawing italong a finned heat exchanger, while the fins of the comb are inengagement with the fins of the heat exchanger, said fins havingtrapezoid shaped side faces with a wide base at the forward end of eachfin and a slanted side edge extending out of the plane of the handle andmeeting the base at an acute angle so as to provide a laterallyextending pointed wedge for entering between the heat exchanger finswith the side surfaces thereof in engagement with the distorted heatexchanger fins to straighten them by a longitudinal combing stroke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 49,245Dorman Aug. 8, 1865 1,739,214 Darling Dec. 10, 1929 2,222,081 Leigh Nov.19, 1940 2,314,034 DeRoo Mar. 16, 1943 2,618,185 Fechter Nov. 18, 19522,818,757 Pille Ian. 7, 1958 2,895,358 Johnson July 21, 1959 2,909,954Rhoads Oct. 27, 1959 2,912,888 Webb Nov. 17, 1959

